Existence and Unity of God (Allah SWT – الله سبحانه وتعالى)

The Limits of Physical Senses

Atheists often rely entirely on what they can see or touch. But human beings are not only physical—they possess a soul. And just as a manufacturer marks his product, Allah (SWT) has imprinted His sign upon every soul.

We cannot see thoughts, the mind, or even certain forces of nature directly—yet we know they exist. On the same grounds, denying God because He is unseen is both unfair and irrational.

Nothing Creates Itself

Nothing in creation came into being by itself. The universe, with its vastness and intricacies, could not have emerged randomly. A house, for example, requires an architect and builder—it doesn’t arise from an explosion. Similarly, the Big Bang, if it happened, had to be caused and directed by a Higher Intelligence.

Cause and Effect

The principle of causality proves the need for a Creator. Seeing animal tracks in snow, we know something passed by. Likewise, the order of the universe points to Allah, the First Cause.

The 50% Risk Argument

What if God doesn’t exist? The believer loses nothing. But what if He does? Then the disbeliever faces eternal loss. Rationality demands that one not gamble with eternity.

Faith in Allah:

Prevents sin
Guides moral behavior
Calms anxiety
Brings peace of heart

Instinctive Belief in Crisis

Even the most stubborn atheist cries out to God in moments of extreme danger. The Qur’an (31:32) mentions people praying sincerely in stormy seas. When we’re desperate, we instinctively turn to the Divine.

Allah’s Attributes and Human Maturity

Allah’s Attributes—All-Knowing, All-Powerful, All-Beautiful—are not only absolute but uplifting. Studying nature, genetics, and the cosmos all reveal design, power, and beauty.

From puberty onward, every sane soul begins asking: Who am I? Why am I here? These questions point inward—and upward—toward the Creator.

Misinterpreting Suffering

Some people question God’s existence due to suffering or calamity. But hardship is not evidence of injustice; it is a means of growth. For the believer, trials refine character. For the denier, they cause despair. The difference lies in one’s lens of trust in Allah.

The Final Question

We breathe His air, drink His water, and eat His provisions. Can we then, at the moment of death, deny the One who gave us life and now takes it back? Such denial would be the ultimate ingratitude.

Tawheed – The Oneness of Allah (SWT)

The name Allah itself contains tawḥīd: “Al” (the) + “Ilah” (God) = The One and Only Worthy of Worship. This term is singular, without gender, plurality, or ambiguity—unlike the English word “God.”

Tawheed is not only a belief—it’s the foundation of all spiritual and moral clarity.

One God Alone

The Qur’an (21:21–24) challenges the idea of multiple gods: if there were more than one, they would dispute, compete, or cancel each other out. Imagine two gods arguing about where to place a human eye—one on the head, the other on the knee!

Only One can be Supreme—and that One is Allah, as declared in Surah al-Ikhlas:

Say: He is Allah, the One; Allah, the Eternal. He begets not, nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him. (Qur’an 112)

Creation in Pairs

Allah created all things in pairs, including spiritual complements like the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and Imam Ali (AS), as affirmed in Qur’an 3:61. This mutual dependency reveals that all creation needs Allah (SWT), while He alone is Self-Sufficient.

Scientific Affirmations

Modern science, from atomic motion to celestial physics, affirms design and coherence—hallmarks of a single Creator. Earthquakes, DNA, the water cycle—all declare the knowledge, power, and beauty of the One Lord.

Understanding His Attributes

Though Allah’s Attributes are beyond human comprehension, He has made them known to us through His appointed Guides—the Prophets and the Imams.

Imam ‘Ali (AS) in Nahjul Balaghah states:

“None knows what He is, nor how He is, nor where He is... and yet, we know that He is.”

Imam Ja‘far al-Ṣādiq (AS) corrected Imam Abu Hanifa’s translation of “Allahu Akbar.” Rather than “God is the greatest” (which implies comparison), he taught:

“Allah is beyond all comprehension.”

Sources of Divine Guidance

Allah (SWT) fulfills both physical and spiritual needs. He provides air, water, and food—and guidance through:

Scriptures

Torah (Mūsā),
Bible (ʿĪsā),
Qur’an (Muhammad ﷺ)

Divine Guides

Two categories:

Prophets and Messengers (124,000 total): From Adam to Muhammad (SAW)
Successors of Prophets, including the 12 Imams from Imam ‘Ali to Imam al-Mahdi (AJ)

This twin guidance system is like a user manual (scripture) and a live support agent (Imam). The purity of the Qur’an is preserved through the infallibility of the Ahlul Bayt (AS), and the salawāt in our daily prayers affirms their role.

Nubuwwah – Prophethood

The Nabi brings divine news; the Rasūl also brings a Book and deeper instruction. Examples:

Mūsā (miracle: splitting the sea)
ʿĪsā (miracle: reviving the dead)
Muhammad (SAW) (miracle: the Qur’an—perpetual and unmatched)

The Qur’an (3:81, 2:146, 6:20) records that all prior Prophets were instructed to foretell the arrival of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Jesus (ʿĪsā) even named him “Ahmad” (Qur’an 61:6).

The Prophet and the 14 Maʿṣūmīn were created as Noor before the universe and were sent to teach us worship, mercy, and the path to Allah (SWT).

The Seal of Prophethood

Qur’an 5:3 declares the finality of the Message.
Qur’an 33:40 names Prophet Muhammad (SAW) the “Seal of the Prophets”.

In Hadith al-Manzilah, the Prophet likened Imam ‘Ali (AS) to Hārūn—his successor—as Hārūn was to Mūsā, but with this crucial clarification:

“There will be no prophet after me.”

Fatima (AS): Divine Guide for Women

Lady Fāṭimah al-Zahrāʾ (AS), the daughter of the Prophet, was his part (baḍʿah) and a Divine Guide for women. She was al-Kawthar—the source of abundant progeny and blessing (Qur’an 108). Like Maryam (AS), she was infallible and chosen.

Islam affirms:

Equal dignity for men and women
Distinct roles and rights
Honor in modesty and chastity for both genders

Islamic law supports women’s education, property rights, and career freedom—while assigning men the duty to provide.

Adl – Divine Justice

Justice is central in Shi‘a Islam. Allah rewards and punishes with knowledge, mercy, and fairness.

This belief includes:

Partial Free Will and Predestination
The infallibility of Divine Guides (to avoid injustice)
Accountability of both intentions and actions

False theologies, like those promoted by tyrants (e.g., Yazid), wrongly attribute injustice to God. Shi‘ism rejects this and holds rulers accountable.

Imamat – Divine Leadership

After Prophethood, Allah (SWT) instituted Imamat. Qur’an 2:124 shows Ibrāhīm (AS) was made an Imam after being a Prophet. The 12 Imams were appointed to:

Preserve the Qur’an and Sunnah from distortion
Awaken the ummah and counter satanic misguidance

The Imams’ names, roles, and number (12) are supported by Qur’an (e.g., 5:55, 33:33, 42:23) and Hadith. The Prophet (SAW) clearly announced each Imam—from the first (Ali) to the twelfth (al-Mahdi, AJ).

Al-Maʿād – The Afterlife

All must die. Belief in the hereafter is essential. Qur’anic metaphors and scientific parallels (sleep, dreams, womb-to-world transition) suggest that life continues after death.

Faith is the root, and deeds are the branches. Allah (SWT) closes the faith account at death but leaves the deed account open—for:

Charitable acts
Qur’an recitation
Majālis of Imam Husain (AS)
Duʿā and intercession

The greatest means of salvation is to seek shafāʿah through the Prophet and his Ahlul Bayt (AS).

The Foundations of Islamic Belief